In 2024, Albania achieved two major milestones: the adoption of the National Social Protection Strategy (NSSP) 2024–2030 and the Social Inclusion Policy Document 2024–2028. These frameworks prioritize gender equality, child rights, and shock responsiveness as integral components of Albania’s social protection agenda. The United Nations supported Albania’s negotiation position for Chapter 19 on Social Policies in the EU integration process. It also strengthened accountability mechanisms by supporting monitoring reports for the National Action Plan for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and drafting a national report on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Additionally, the UN finalized the evaluation of the National Action Plan for Older Persons (2020–2024), began drafting its successor plan, and trained 122 professionals in bio-psycho-social assessments for persons with disabilities (PwD). Amendments to Law No. 162/2020 on public procurement enhanced gender-responsive governance by enabling civil society organizations (CSOs) to deliver specialized services, benefiting women survivors of violence and other vulnerable groups.

The implementation of these strategic frameworks expanded coverage for marginalized groups, improved benefit adequacy, and strengthened service delivery systems, reaching approximately 48,653 individuals. The expansion of social service provision across 51 municipalities marked steady progress, with 84 social care services now available nationwide. UN-supported funding enabled 22 municipalities to launch 27 new social services, benefiting 4,110 individuals.

Technical assistance equipped the State Social Services with tools to monitor service delivery, while UN grants supported 14 municipalities in establishing or expanding social care services. A UN-supported functional review of the State Social Services further strengthened human and institutional The UN continued to support municipalities to strengthen their evidence-based support and interventions for older persons by engaging the local governments to carry out a Needs Assessment following the initial piloting in Sukth. Municipalities that have committed to engage in this process include Durres, Gjirokaster, Klos, Kolonja, Librazhd and Tirana.

The UN’s support for community-based models for health and social care has expanded significantly. In 13 districts, health education teams organized 49 awareness sessions, reaching 565 individuals, including 105 women who accessed sexual and reproductive health services. The model’s expansion to Saranda and Delvina trained 43 health and social care providers and enhanced services for young key populations. In Tirana, Durres and other major cities, 753 individuals from key populations accessed specialized health services, including Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Sexually Transmitted Disease (HIV/STI) testing and counselling. The UN’s work in the deinstitutionalization reform, which is a priority of Chapter 23 in the EU plan of action, achieved significant milestones, transforming residential care institutions in Korca and Vlora into family-based and community services.

A new Child and Family Support Service in Shkoder provided direct support to 183 children and families at risk of institutionalization, while capacity-building initiatives trained 160 professionals in family reunification and emergency response. These reforms enhanced service delivery and data collection, raising the ratio of trained childcare professionals to 80 per cent in select municipalities, a 30 per cent improvement over 2023. Capacity-building initiatives have professionalized Albania’s social service workforce. With UN support, social work faculties in Elbasan, Shkoder and Tirana have updated training curricula, benefiting 255 in-service professionals.

The introduction of a master’s degree in social policies and sustainable development engaged more than 200 professionals through the online platform www.sociale.al. Additionally, 90 professionals across 17 community centres for PwD were trained to deliver specialized services to 450 children and youth. Inclusion-focused reforms reached marginalized groups through participatory budgeting initiatives in five municipalities, where 772 individuals, including 384 women and girls, collaborated to address community issues. These initiatives led to 32 civic actions, with 73 per cent of concerns resolved by local governments.

Meanwhile, 7,300 Afghan beneficiaries accessed cashplus social protection measures, combining cash assistance with social services. Gender-responsive governance frameworks were further strengthened by integrating gender-disaggregated data into municipal budget plans, addressing economic development and infrastructure priorities for marginalized groups.

Infrastructure and human capacity were significantly enhanced. Following the repair and reconstruction of 66 education facilities in earthquake-affected municipalities, improved learning environments were created for approximately 24,000 students. Investments also included the establishment of 47 IT labs, 107 science laboratories, 56 psychological–nursery rooms and 66 sports fields and gyms. A transparency portal (www.eu4schoolsportal.al) (www.eu4schoolsportal.al) and a Geographical Information System (GIS) platform were launched to improve planning and address infrastructure needs, while six municipalities strengthened their capacities in ethical procurement and community consultation for infrastructure projects.

The advancement of inclusive education was further strengthened by transforming special schools into resource centres, increasing the number of assistant teachers and adopting inclusive curricula. These efforts were complemented by the expansion of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) programmes, now offered in over 85 per cent of schools. During 2024, 220 teachers were certified in CSE delivery, with an additional 400 teachers and school directors set to complete training by early 2025. Digital competency in education was enhanced through the Media and Information Literacy curriculum, equipping 180 additional teachers in 2024, bringing to 420 the total number of educators trained to integrate digital literacy into classrooms. A systemic shift in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) education was catalysed by the establishment of a STEM Alliance, which promoted peer learning and GE in education. This initiative aimed to address gender gaps in STEM fields and foster innovation across Albania’s education system. Non-formal education programmes were also prioritized, benefiting 741 Afghan refugee children and 213 pre-schoolers, alongside comprehensive training for 760 Afghan and Albanian parents to foster social cohesion and address child development needs. Albania’s education system is progressively becoming more inclusive, equitable and modernized through strategic reforms and targeted interventions.

Continued investments in infrastructure, teacher training and digital education, coupled with cross-sectoral collaboration, will be pivotal in addressing remaining disparities and achieving transformative changes in education outcomes. These efforts ensure that Albania’s education system is well-positioned to meet the needs of its diverse student population while aligning with EU standards and SDG targets.

STRENGTHENING HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
In 2024, the UN supported the implementation of Albania’s National Health Strategy and building and putting into practice a family-based, networked Primary Health Care model of care, driving key improvements across the healthcare system. Comprehensive assessments were conducted in 50 healthcare institutions and enhanced care standards were adopted in three regional neonatal intensive care units. Progress toward UHC was marked by expanding home-visit services to 35 per cent of health providers, benefiting underserved populations. The Universal Progressive Home Visiting (UPHV) model, implemented across seven regions (Berat, Elbasan, Korca, Kukes, Lezha, Tirana and Vlora), engaged 365 health personnel in capacity-building initiatives. These health professionals conducted 13,082 home visits, reaching 4,360 children under five years of age, including 773 Roma and Egyptian children. Accredited by the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Health and Social Care Institutions, the UPHV programme focused on monitoring child growth, supporting parenting skills and addressing postpartum depression, child protection and stigma.

ADVANCING REPRODUCTIVE AND MATERNAL HEALTH
UN advocacy led to the finalization of Albania’s Reproductive Health Law, embedding GE and rights-based approaches into healthcare policy. Quality improvement initiatives on maternal and newborn health included 14 supportive supervision visits to maternity hospitals nationwide, with training of 185 healthcare professionals in postpartum haemorrhage management, neonatal resuscitation and advanced newborn care. Advocacy efforts focused on cervical cancer screening and improving SRHR services, while supportive supervision initiatives helped improve proficiency in managing pregnancies and childbirth. Implementation of the National Child Health and Nutrition Framework8 engaged 313 health professionals in a modernized monitoring system, enabling 8,910 home visits to improve child nutrition outcomes.

IMMUNIZATION AND PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS
The National Immunization Programme was supported through capacity development activities reaching around 205 health professionals in 3 target regions with measles cases (Tirana, Durres, Fier), on measles vaccine administration and interpersonal communication skills. 3,080 children, behind with the vaccination schedule including zero dose, received MMR vaccine. Awareness raising activities took place during the European Immunization Week with over 8000 parents and community members including representatives of religious groups, reached with information about importance of childhood vaccination while addressing myths and concerns around measles. The Human Papillomavirus vaccination programme achieved 75.6 per cent coverage among girls born in 2009–2010, benefiting more than 15,000 individuals. Albania’s Emergency Preparedness was strengthened through the development of the Mosaic Respiratory Surveillance Framework. Albanian experts were trained on zoonotic disease risk assessment; Enhancing Public Health Emergency Operations Center functionality; Emergency Medical Teams; Hospital Safety Index (HSI), Infectious Substances Shipping. The Institute of Public Health was supported in defining laboratory workflows, equipment typology and specifications, and lab furniture planning.

PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The UN JP on mental health engaged 424 healthcare specialists in professional development activities across four regions, focusing on early identification and referral of mental health conditions in children and adolescents. The roll-out of the ‘I Fight Depression’ platform, developed by the European Alliance against Depression, provided mental health support to 100 young people, complemented by school-based information sessions that reached 1,207 children and adolescents. Community-led initiatives such as Upshift empowered 400 young people to design interventions addressing mental health challenges in their communities. Youth engagement activities were organized around the World No Tobacco Day 2024, under the theme “Protecting children from tobacco industry interference”, through volleyball games bringing together 100+ medical students and high school students from Tirana.

CRISIS RESPONSE AND HEALTH SERVICES FOR REFUGEES
In Shengjin, health services focused on mothers, children and adolescents reached 1,600 Afghan refugees, including antenatal care for 33 women and growth monitoring for 477 children. Community health initiatives engaged 407 individuals in discussions on nutrition, hygiene and first aid, enhancing health literacy and preventive practices. Through targeted interventions and collaborative efforts, Albania’s healthcare system is becoming more resilient, inclusive and equipped to meet the needs of its population. Continued investments in health infrastructure, professional training and community-based services will be pivotal in achieving UHC and addressing persistent disparities, aligning Albania’s health sector with SDG targets.

To address the above-mentioned challenges, the UN supported Albania’s efforts to promote inclusive community engagement through tailored interventions and capacity-building initiatives. In 2024, Albania’s NSSP 2024–2030 and the Social Inclusion Policy Document (2024-2028) were operationalized with UN assistance, strengthening local governance and community integration frameworks. A major milestone was the implementation of returnee-centred reintegration models in Berat, Devoll and Fier, tailored to local needs and integrated into municipal action plans to enhance sustainability. These initiatives improved access to essential services for returnees and strengthened local governance mechanisms for quality service delivery.

The UN facilitated the socio-economic integration of over 700 returnees by connecting them with skills development and entrepreneurship programmes under the Albanian National Agency for Employment and Skills (NAES). These efforts supported their formal labour market integration, reduced vulnerabilities and fostered economic stability. Pilot programmes featuring women-led social business principles introduced sustainable local service delivery models, demonstrating the viability of community-driven economic solutions. Community cohesion was strengthened through 19 small grants for local NGOs, which reached more than 1,000 returnees and promoted their active participation in social and economic life. These initiatives were part of the EU-financed project ‘Strengthening National and Local Systems to Support the Effective Socio-Economic Integration of Returnees in the Western Balkans’, which reinforced Albania’s commitment to addressing migration challenges and stimulating local development.

The country’s progress in fostering inclusive community engagement reflects a commitment to strengthening local governance, enhancing service accessibility and promoting social cohesion. Continued investment in capacity building and integrated policy solutions will be essential for ensuring that all communities, particularly those comprising the most vulnerable, are actively included in Albania’s development trajectory.